Touchless lattes and self-service kiosks: office break rooms go virus-proof
OUT with grimy microwaves and sticky coffee machines with worn-out buttons, in with stylus pens, QR codes, no-touch water coolers and mobile apps that pick what brew the machine will make for you.
From the headquarters of Ford in Dearborn, Michigan and Goldman Sachs in New York to Fedex facilities across the United States, workers are returning after months of lockdowns to the new reality of social distancing, hybrid remote and office work schedules, and strict hygiene protocols.
The break room, where employees used to get their daily fix of caffeine and office gossip, is a big part of that reboot as coffee companies, such as Keurig Dr. Pepper, Lavazza, and Nestlé roll out new technology for the COVID-19 era.
Nestlé says it has worked with manufacturers to add a function to its coffeemakers that lets users to make a selection by just hovering a finger over the menu and has been delivering those to clients since June.
Lavazza lauched a new model in September that works with a mobile app to whip up those cappuccinos and lattes without having to touch the machine.
US coffee machine manufacturer Bunn has chosen a different approach, retrofitting its machines with a QR code that lets users order drinks through a webpage.
Last year, supplying offices with beans and brewers was a $5.7 billion business in the United States alone, according to research firm Packaged Facts. Coffee companies, which saw lockdowns wipe out so-called professional sales that also include the hospitality industry, bet they can revive that business by addressing workers' and employers' concerns.
DASH FOR AN APP
Lavazza had a new brewer slated to debut at a trade show in May, but started redesigning it to add a touchless function when the pandemic struck in March, Bruce Williamson, vice president of innovation and marketing at Lavazza Professional said.
"We had to very quickly use the weeks (we had) preparing for an app."
Williamson said a survey of about 170 consumers across the United States Lavazza commissioned in August validated its decision. It showed 40% of employees expected to leave the building less often to get a drink and to rely more on office supplies, but were nervous about infection risks.
"What they are telling us is... 'I'm going to come back to the office, but I'm nervous about touching the machine'."
Employers, suppliers, and designers are also experimenting with a one-stop service that allows office workers to refuel without going outside, while those working remotely can do it from the comfort of their home.
K-cup pod maker Keurig is supplying coffee for ‘mini-marts’ set up to replace office cafeterias and offering fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, coffee and other staples. It has also signed deals with several companies that have classified K-cup pods and brewers essential work items and pay for their deliveries to staff working remotely, said Phil Drapeau, the company's general manager for the 'Away from Home' business.
Ford said more than 100,000 people out of its global workforce of 190,000 have returned to its facilities since May, but cafe service remains suspended and it offers pre-packaged meals and beverages instead. The carmaker is also testing on-site grocery kiosks selling locally sourced dairy, produce, and meal prep kits. —